Video footage in West Indies’ third ODI against Afghanistan showed him using his thumbnail to scratch the ball
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2019West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran has been banned from four T20Is after being found guilty of attempting to change the condition of the ball during West Indies’ third ODI against Afghanistan on Monday.Pooran admitted the charge, which deals with a breach of level 3 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad. He had violated Article 2.14 of the code, which relates to “changing the condition of the ball” after video footage showed him scratching the surface of the ball with his thumbnail.Pooran will now miss West Indies’ three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the first game of their subsequent three-match series against India. He will also have five demerit points added to his record. The earliest he will be available to play for West Indies is the second T20I against India, on December 8 in Thiruvananthapuram.The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Bismillah Shinwari and Ahmed Durrani and third umpire Ahmed Pakteen as well as fourth umpire Izatullah Safi.Calling his act “an extreme error in judgement”, Pooran said he accepted the penalty while promising this incident was a one-off.”I want to issue a sincere apology to my teammates, supporters and the Afghanistan team for what transpired on the field of play on Monday in Lucknow,” Pooran said in a statement issued by Cricket West Indies. “I recognise that I made an extreme error in judgement and I fully accept the ICC penalty. I want to assure everyone that this is an isolated incident and it will not be repeated. I promise to learn from this and come back stronger and wiser.”West Indies had completed a 3-0 sweep against Afghanistan in the ODIs, winning the third game by five wickets with eight balls to spare. Pooran had a successful series with the bat, and was the Man of the Match in the second game for smashing 67 off 50 balls. He was likely to have kept wickets for West Indies in the T20Is, but they have Denesh Ramdin in the squad as back-up, and the 34-year-old will now get to add to his 68 T20I caps, the last of which came a year ago, in November 2018.
William Gallas believes England's Euro 2024 hero, Ollie Watkins, could be the perfect summer signing for Arsenal.
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Watkins emerged as the super sub for EnglandScored a sensational 90th-minute winner against NetherlandsGallas urged Arsenal to sign WatkinsWHAT HAPPENED?
Watkins' performances at Euro 2024 have been nothing short of spectacular. The 28-year-old forward etched his name into the hearts of England fans with a last-gasp winner in a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Netherlands, propelling the Three Lions into their second consecutive European Championship final, where they will face Spain. His clutch goal exemplified his knack for rising to the occasion, making him a standout player in the tournament.
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Watkins' domestic form has been equally impressive. He scored 19 goals and set up another 13 in the Premier League, to fire Aston Villa into the Champions League for the first time since the 1982/83 season. Recognising his value, Aston Villa secured Watkins' future with a new five-year contract early last season. This move not only rewarded his stellar performances but also safeguarded his market value, now estimated at a staggering €100 million (£85.7 million).
WHAT GALLAS SAID
Gallas has made a compelling case for Arsenal to pursue Watkins.
"For Arsenal, I like Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins," Gallas remarked in an interview with
"He has the pace you need to have as a striker and with a player like Martin Odegaard in behind him it would just be magnificent, think of all the assists. It’s so difficult to defend against players like Ollie Watkins because he’s so clever with his runs, with Odegaard they would do so much damage. If I was at Arsenal I’d choose him."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Watkins' affinity for Arsenal runs deep. The striker grew up as a passionate supporter of the club, a sentiment shared by his family. His goal in Aston Villa's 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates last season was bittersweet, as it severely dented the Gunners' hopes of clinching their first Premier League title since 2004. Watkins admitted that his grandad and uncle, both loyal Arsenal fans, would not have been pleased with his decisive strike against their beloved team.
After deciding against signing anyone in the January transfer window, the summer could be a big one for Arsenal.
Back in 2023 they spent a considerable amount on bolstering the squad, notably bringing in £65m Kai Havertz and £105m Declan Rice.
Where has that got them? Well, they're top of the Premier League and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It's hard to suggest they weren't worth the money.
So, what does 2024 have in store? It's likely they'll go big on a new star striker with Ivan Toney one name who refuses to go away. But who else?
Arsenal's transfer targets for 2024
It was reported back in January that Toney was a player Arsenal wanted to do a deal for but perhaps with Kai Havertz's form in recent weeks, they'll look to spend big elsewhere.
Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest was linked with a move over the weekend but a fresh name coming from the rumour mill concerns Joao Cancelo.
That's according to The Sun who reported on Saturday that the Gunners are ready to make their move for the defender if Barcelona don't sign the player permanently.
Cancelo is currently on loan at Barca from Manchester City after falling out with Pep Guardiola. The Portuguese would prefer to stay in Catalonia but Arsenal could be an interesting proposition for the player considering Mikel Arteta's tactics.
How Joao Cancelo compares to Ben White
Signing Cancelo would be a particularly eye-catching addition from Edu and Co.
The 29-year-old is in the prime of his career and crucially for Arteta, is not only a versatile individual but also a player capable of adapting to his system. Why? Well, Cancelo is the classic example of an inverted full-back.
Statman Dave described the Man City star as "the perfect inverted wing-back" during his days in England and that ability to push into midfield would make him an ideal addition this summer.
Oleksandr Zinchenko has been an expert in that role since signing for the Gunners but his authority as a starter is now dwindling. Previously criticised for being a "liability" in defensive situations, the Ukrainian may bring composure and technical ability but Arsenal can do better. The very fact Jakub Kiwior – not typically a full-back – has now displaced him says it all.
On the opposite side of the defence, Ben White is improving all the time, notably registering two assists and a goal in his last two league games. Once a central defender, the £50m signing has taken a leaf from Zinchenko's book and with the former Man City man out of action, has been the inverted defender in this team.
Well, should Cancelo arrive then he could perform that job just as well. Vitally for White, he can also operate at left-back.
Throughout his career to date the Barca loanee has been seen 217 times on the right and 103 times from the left. On that note, he's a bit like Arsenal's current options Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber.
So, we know Cancelo can invert but what else does he offer? Previously celebrated as "the best player in the Premier League" by journalist Muhammad Butt, he ranks in the top 10% of positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the best 1% for successful take-ons (dribbles), and the top 9% for progressive passes, all per 90 minutes.
Progressive carries
4.18
1.18
Progressive passes
5.00
5.74
Goals + assists
0.24
0.25
Pass success %
82%
85%
Key passes
1.39
0.93
Passes into final 3rd
4.76
5.40
Crosses into penalty box
0.43
0.34
Tackles won
1.63
0.80
Interceptions
0.96
1.01
He is the archetypal modern full-back, enjoying the thrill of galivanting forward and influencing play in the final third. The Benfica academy graduate also stacks up pretty well compared to White.
Considering Arsenal's current defensive options, this signing might not be a necessity but it's certainly one that takes them up another level.
Arsenal should hand a big pay rise to their "monster" star after Ben White
Arsenal announced a contract renewal for Ben White in the week.
Amad Diallo scored a screamer during Manchester United practice as he looks to cement his place in Erik ten Hag's lineup in the upcoming season.
Amad scored a screamer in trainingNetted in Man Utd's win over RangersTen Hag expects the player to deliverWHAT HAPPENED?
The young attacker is working hard in training to establish himself as a mainstay in the Manchester United squad ahead of the upcoming campaign. Amad has been impressive during the pre-season, having scored in the club's 2-0 win over Rangers in the second friendly match. On Saturday, the 22-year-old was filmed scoring a screamer with his weak foot while on training in the United States.
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The Ivory Coast international missed the majority of the last season due to a knee injury and featured in just 12 matches across all competitions for the club. Manager Erik ten Hag, however, expects the winger to shine in the upcoming season and establish himself as a regular starter.
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United will play their first friendly in the United States on Sunday as they take on Premier League rivals Arsenal at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Sydney Thunder fast bowler will continue to represent New South Wales Breakers
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2019Rene Farrell, the former Australia fast bowler, joined Alex Blackwell and Kristen Beams in announcing her retirement from the Women’s Big Bash League following the exits of their sides from the latest edition of the T20 tournament on Sunday.Sydney Thunder’s Blackwell, Australia’s most-capped woman cricketer, and Beams, who turned out for Melbourne Stars since the tournament took off in 2015-16, had announced their decision to finish up earlier, and Farrell joined Blackwell in a post-match guard of honour after the Thunder lost to the Melbourne Renegades in their last match of the season.Farrell, 32, made her Australia debut in an ODI against New Zealand in Darwin in July 2007 and played three Test matches, 44 ODIs and 54 T20Is over the years, her last outing in national colours coming in March 2017, again in an ODI against New Zealand, in Mount Maunganui. She finished with 114 international wickets.Though she won’t play in the WBBL again, Farrell will continue to play for New South Wales Breakers.”I still have 50-overs cricket with the NSW Breakers. Hopefully I can go out on a high there like we did for Alex’s career and winning that [after announcing her retirement from state cricket last year],” Farrell, who picked up 79 wickets in 66 games for the Thunder over the years, said. “I have a bit of cricket left, [but this send off with Sydney Thunder] was really special.”The Thunder website said that Blackwell had invited Farrell to join her in the farewell, joined by players from her team, as well as from the Renegades, Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat, who were all in action at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.Alex Blackwell gets a guard of honour•Getty Images”It was lovely of Al [Blackwell] to invite me to enjoy that moment… very special,” Farrell said. “My reputation is gone now, I had a few tears on TV, but it is special.”It wasn’t a particularly memorable outing for Farrell on the field, though, as she conceded 33 runs in four wicketless overs before scoring 14* in 12 balls in a 29-run defeat. Blackwell, too, didn’t have a good time of it, run out for 1 in the failed chase for the Thunder.”I couldn’t have that send off without sharing it with her,” Blackwell said of the joint farewell. “She’s been an absolute legend of the game; really valuable – especially in T20. She’s a big loss, a wonderful character. She’s been an incredible servant of the game and it’s easy to get emotional when you think of her contribution.”Beams, too, had a bad day at work, conceding 14 runs in her only over as the Heat beat the Stars by eight wickets. She picked up just wickets this season in eight bowling innings for the Stars.”I’ve loved the last five years with the Melbourne Stars and being part of the Stars family,” Beams told the team’s website. “To see the WBBL grow from the first year of competition to what it is now has been a fantastic journey.”The 35-year-old legspinner played one Test, 30 ODIs and 18 T20Is for Australia since making her debut in an ODI against Pakistan in Brisbane in August 2014, last turning out for the national team in an ODI against England in Coffs Harbour in October 2017. She picked up 62 international wickets, and was a one-team player at the WBBL, having been with the Stars since the start of the league.
Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos heaped praise on Arda Guler while issuing a warning regarding his fitness.
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Kroos advised Guler to remain injury-freeMissed majority of debut season due to injuryReal Madrid face AC Milan on WednesdayWHAT HAPPENED?
The Turkish wonderkid snubbed Barcelona in favour of a move to Real Madrid last summer, but his maiden season at Santiago Bernabeu did not go as planned as he was injured for the majority of the 2023-24 campaign. However, the midfielder managed to score six times in the 10 La Liga appearances he made for Los Blancos.
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His impressive performances for his club towards the end of the season earned the midfielder a call-up to the Turkish national team at the European Championship, where he had a fantastic outing as he helped his team reach the quarter-finals.
WHAT TONI KROOS SAID
With Guler gearing up to start afresh with the Spanish champions ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, former Real star Kroos opened up on the Turkey international's talent as he said on Sky in Germany: "He has a great future if he stays healthy. What sets Arda apart from other young players is that he is open to learning. Since he arrived he paid a lot of attention to everything we did before and after training. There aren't many players like that today.
"He really wants to learn and improve. His finishing and his left foot are incredible, we all noticed that from the first training session."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Carlo Ancelotti's side have reached the United States and will play their first pre-season friendly against AC Milan on Wednesday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Head coach believes ‘under pressure’ captain should take confidence from spending time in the middle during second innings
Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth19-Jan-2020Mark Boucher knows as much about Faf du Plessis’ future as a Test cricketer as we do, which is that du Plessis is under pressure. Asked directly if du Plessis is going to retire next week, Boucher said: “I’ve got no clue. He hasn’t said anything. I don’t think so.”Du Plessis has not crossed fifty in his last nine innings, he has not even crossed 40. He has had to deal with a major administrative crisis that he admitted weighed him down. It’s little wonder he needed a shoulder rub during his innings at St George’s Park.In what some are speculating could be his last Test innings, du Plessis faced 123 balls and spent two hours and 24 minutes, which, in other circumstances could be considered confidence-boosting. But when he was dismissed, the possibility of a four-day finish loomed, which is hardly the way a captain wants to take his team to the close of play. Given all the other challenges du Plessis is facing, it’s not unthinkable that it has all become too much, but Boucher hopes it hasn’t.”It’s easy for me to sit here and say yes I am happy with his state of mind. For me, his state of mind will be a lot better if he gets up there and scores runs,” Boucher said. “We all know that he is under pressure in the media and from a confidence point of view.”The positive for me is that he actually got out there, he gave himself a chance to have a look at the conditions and he looked like he got some good rhythm in a really tough situation. He got to face over 100 balls so he will sit back in the changeroom, look at the team situation and be disappointed in the performance today and in the Test match but I am sure he will take confidence from the fact that he got to spend time out there and face a few balls in the middle.”ALSO READ: Cricket is a finite game and du Plessis’ finish is in sightStill, South Africa seemed to lack a certain impetus which seemed to suggest there is something bigger brewing. Boucher indicated there are problems behind-the-scenes, although he did not elaborate on what they might be. “There might have been a couple of things that added to the lacklustre performance today. We can’t get too emotional about it. We’ve got to go out there and say we need a lot of hard work in the future and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Boucher said.Whether that relates to Kagiso Rabada’s suspension or the possibility of du Plessis’ impending exit is unclear. What is, is that the brief honeymoon period South Africa’s new management experienced at SuperSport Park is over and divorce proceedings are already being talked about in terms of the captain.South Africa are staring down their seventh Test defeat from the last eight they’ve played. Though they would have experienced similar when up against the Australian side of the early 2000s, then there was depth in the system; now the options are severely limited. South Africa only have one available bowler who can send the speedgun above 150kph for the Wanderers Test, Anrich Nortje, their experienced opening batsman, Dean Elgar, is coming off his worst calendar year in 2019 and is trying to hold the fort in an inexperienced top six and their best bowler is a containing spinner, Keshav Maharaj.Is this the lowest ebb since readmission? Boucher wouldn’t be drawn into that. “That’s a big call. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have been in teams where we’ve been pretty low. Here, we are still in the series. We are in a bad situation in this particular game but we are not out of the series yet,” he said.Instead, Boucher has taken it on himself to accept responsibility for the performances so far and to try and fix things as quickly as possible. “It’s easy to point fingers at this and that and our system. For me, there’s no excuses. I need to find a way to get it right in a short period of time,” Boucher said.”I look at this as a time to self-reflect. I’m looking at myself and saying, ‘how do I take responsibility for the performance of the team and how do I try and mentally and physically upskill these guys to make them better players in a short space of time?'”
A pundit believes two Tottenham stars may well be on the way out if Ange Postecoglou's side sign a £50 million "leader" this summer.
Ange requires squad overhaul as Spurs make summer plans
It will be a very interesting summer window where Spurs are concerned, with Postecoglou seeking to build upon what has been a very positive first season in charge overall.
Tottenham eyeing Premier League star as Levy sets aside big striker funds
The north Londoners are seeking to replace Harry Kane.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 5, 2024
Fans and on-lookers have been left enamored with Tottenham's new style of play under Postecoglou this season, and they're still firmly in the race to seal Champions League qualification as they battle Aston Villa for fourth.
The Lilywhites boss has been backed with successful signings during that time, with both Micky van de Ven and James Maddison proving excellent signings who fit in seamlessly to Postecoglou's style.
Nottingham Forest (home)
April 7th
Newcastle United (away)
April 13th
Arsenal (home)
April 28th
Chelsea (away)
May 2nd
Liverpool (away)
May 5th
However, there are still areas of the squad which need to be addressed before Spurs can think about potentially challenging the likes of Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal nearer the top of the table.
Indeed, Postecoglou has even admitted that it may take as long as three windows to reach the level he requires.
"We've got a lot of work to do still on the squad and I don't think we're anywhere near where we want to be. It probably will take a little bit more than three windows to get there, for sure," said Postecoglou on Tottenham signings in the future.
"Just in terms of the robustness, adaptability, and compatibility of the squad, I think there's still a fair bit of change we need to do.
"I certainly don't think we're one or two players away from getting to where I want us to be, nowhere near it. Some of that will be natural evolution. Some of it hopefully means we continue to get the improvement we've had this year from some of our players. If that happens over the next 12 months, then we'll be in a great position."
Heading into the summer window, a overhaul is on the cards. Spurs have been linked with a few star names, like Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, while the likes of Giovani Lo Celso and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg don't appear to have a future at the club.
Nottingham Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White
There have even been some suggestions that Spurs are favourites to sign the £50 million Gibbs-White, coming as Forest look to balance the books and avoid further PSR sanctions.
Tottenham tipped to sell Hojbjerg and Lo Celso with Gibbs-White signing
Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit John Wenham has suggested that Lo Celso and Hojbjerg will both leave if Tottenham manage a deal for Gibbs-White this summer.
“I really like Gibbs-White, I think he’s a real character and a leader in that Forest team," said Wenham.
“He has lots of positive attributes, he can cover a couple of midfield positions, and it wouldn’t take long for him to become a regular for England if he was playing at Spurs.
“I think signing him would make it easier to let go of Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso this summer.”
Liverpool were a day late and a dollar short against Atalanta in the Europa League on Thursday night but can ill-afford to brood over the chastening Anfield defeat, with Crystal Palace travelling to Merseyside for a Premier League showdown this afternoon.
While Liverpool have been restored as title contenders this season following sweeping summer changes to right the lofty wrongs of the 2022/23 campaign, a never-say-die, tenacious attitude has superimposed over residual defensive fragilities.
The Reds have kept just five clean sheets across 22 matches in all competitions in 2024 and have been undone in recent fixtures against Atalanta and Manchester United after inexcusable lapses and mistakes.
Ibrahima Konate after Atalanta defeat
This error-strewn streak must now reach its end, lest Liverpool's thrilling finale to the Jurgen Klopp era peter out with bitter disappointment.
Crystal Palace, sitting in 15th place in the league, have not beaten Klopp's Liverpool in 13 attempts but will be eager to capitalise on complacency, especially with several first-team host members still unavailable.
Liverpool team news
Diogo Jota, at least, is in line for a start after returning from the bench against Atalanta on Thursday. The clinical Portugal forward had been sidelined for 12 games after injuring his knee against Brentford in February.
And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is also nearing a return from injury, he is unlikely to find his name on the starting team sheet after spending the lion's share of the calendar year recovering from an issue – though he may well be named as a substitute.
The same could be said for first-choice shot-stopper Alisson Becker, who might be involved but is likely to return to the grass next week.
Stefan Bajcetic returned to action on Friday as Liverpool defeated Manchester United in a U21 fixture, but Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip remain long-term absentees.
Liverpool must unleash Diogo Jota
An element of circumspection will be needed with Jota, but after entering the play in the late stage of the Europa League in midweek Klopp might be convinced to unleash his prolific striker.
As per FBref, Jota ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and tackles, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 3% for touches in the attacking box per 90.
Mohamed Salah
36
23
0.80
112
Darwin Nunez
46
18
0.58
154
Diogo Jota
29
14
0.79
113
Cody Gakpo
46
14
0.51
177
Luis Diaz
43
13
0.39
232
Hailed as a “pressing monster” by assistant manager Pep Lijnders, the 27-year-old is one of the most potent attacking outlets in the Premier League and has scored nine goals from just 13 starting appearances in the top flight this season.
Mohamed Salah is marginally ahead of Jota in prolificness this season but he offers a very different skill set to his Egyptian counterpart and must be unleashed as the central focal point against Palace, sending Darwin Nunez to the bench.
Nunez, while influential and improved this season, has ebbed back toward the wasteful, wayward shooting of the 2022/23 campaign, his first in Liverpool after signing from Benfica in a club-record £85m deal, and has missed a catalogue of recent chances that may well have changed the current narrative quite drastically.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
The Uruguayan actually has the worst conversion rate of any player to have been presented with 20+ chances in 2023/24 – as per WhoScored – and Jota could provide the Midas touch needed to steer the season back on course against Palace.
Fitness withstanding, Jota is a crucial inclusion at Anfield, with Harvey Elliott also demanding a return to the outset in the Premier League.
Harvey Elliott's season in numbers
Elliott has only just turned 21 but the versatile midfielder is truly one of the finest prospects around, having been a creative option for Liverpool throughout the course of the campaign and compensating for the host of injuries that had threatened Klopp's team in recent months.
Praised for his "special talent" by The Athletic's James Pearce, Elliott has scored three goals and supplied seven assists for his club this term but has only started six Premier League matches, though he may well be in line for a start today.
Harvey Elliott for Liverpool
In the Premier League, as per Sofascore, the England U21 star has completed 88% of his passes, though his displays in the Europa League, where he has played with the greatest frequency, probably serve as a better gauge of his level.
Across nine fixtures on the continent, Elliott has racked up four assists, completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.6 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 4.1 ball recoveries per game while succeeding with 71% of his dribbles.
Klopp noted that Wataru Endo looked fatigued against Atalanta so it's likely that Alexis Mac Allister will shift into a deeper-lying central role, opening space for Elliott to move into his favoured midfield role after playing on the wing on Thursday, hitting the bar twice but receiving only a 5/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle as he struggled to make an impact.
Liverpool have been rinsed of £63m by a flop who earns more than Diaz
This is surely one of the biggest and most costly misfires under Klopp’s leadership.
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 13, 2024
Still, this is hardly his fault and he was one of the better performers on an abject evening, albeit subbed off for Salah at halftime.
Why Liverpool must unleash Harvey Elliott
Rested and raring to go, Elliott is stylistically similar to Dominik Szoboszlai – according to FBref's Player Comparison model – and given the Hungarian's recent struggles Elliott must indeed be handed a starting berth.
The £40k-per-week ace ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.
Moreover, he's developing a sharp goalscoring sense that Palace keenly felt in the reverse fixture back in December, having performed so well to rebuff Klopp's squad only for substitute Elliott to fire an awesome effort into the back of the net in the dying embers.
He's rarely unleashed from the opening in the Premier League but Elliott is growing into quite the midfielder and he could make a marked impact on Liverpool's fight for three points this afternoon, providing his frontal teammates with creative support, adding a dimension to the centre of the park at a time of great importance for Liverpool's campaign.
Sam Northeast makes unbeaten 46 after Jack Edwards’ 190 for Cricket Australia XI
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2020Sam Northeast made an unbeaten 46 as England Lions’ tour game against a Cricket Australia XI petered out into a high-scoring draw in Hobart.With Jack Edwards resuming on 142, the hosts added 77 runs in 23.2 overs on the final morning, with part-time spinners Dom Sibley and Dan Lawrence wrapping things up by dismissing Mitchell Perry for 28 and, eventually, Edwards for 190.The Lions then made 116 for 3 in a low-key third innings, with Zak Crawley, Dom Sibley and Keaton Jennings the men dismissed. Northeast scored quickly, stroking seven boundaries in his 57-ball innings, before the captains shook hands mid-afternoon.Lewis Gregory and Richard Gleeson, who were absent through injury yesterday, remained unavailable on the final day. The Lions’ next game is a four-day, first-class game against a strong Australia A side under the MCG floodlights.”There were a lot of positives to come out of the match in all phases of the game. It was tough for the bowlers on the pitch, but our bowlers stuck to their task during the last couple of days, especially with a couple of injuries,” said Richard Dawson, the Lions coach.”The batting was an obvious highlight and it was pleasing to see three centurions in the first innings, with Dan Lawrence’s ability to push on on day two really putting us in a good position.”We’ll face another tough match at the MCG against Australia A later this week, but it’s a great opportunity for the lads to experience a different challenge playing under lights. Our preparation over the past two weeks has been very good and we will be continuing this leading into the game.”